Braves' Davies dominates Mets with arm, bat

Atlanta pitcher goes eight innings, hits 3-run homer

Published 5:30 am, Wednesday, May 23, 2007

ATLANTA — Kyle Davies used to be a cleanup hitter, batting right behind Jeff Francoeur. Of course, that's when they played on the same youth team in suburban Atlanta.

"Kyle was probably the greatest 13-year-old hitter I've ever seen," Francoeur said with a smile. "But times change."

Davies must have felt like a kid again Tuesday night. Not only did he pitch eight strong innings to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-1 win over the New York Mets, he also broke out his big stick.

The .096 career hitter drove a three-run homer over the center-field wall to snap an 0-for-13 start to the season.

"Once in a blue moon, he'll connect for one," Francoeur said, making sure to speak loud enough for Davies to hear.

While Davies allowed only six hits, his biggest splash came in the sixth. Reliever Aaron Sele tried to avoid walking the pitcher by throwing a 3-1 fastball down the middle. Davies was ready, driving it over the 400-foot sign with plenty to spare.

"When you're a pitcher, you have to get lucky," said Davies, who found the ball waiting at his locker when he got to the clubhouse. "If he had thrown it anywhere else, I probably would have missed it."

The Braves returned home from a 4-6 road trip that dropped them from first to second in the NL East behind the Mets, who had surged to the league's best record by winning nine of 12.

Atlanta closed to within 1 1/2 games of the division lead — and beat the Mets for the fifth time in seven meetings — by knocking around one of its former starters.

Jorge Sosa (3-1) surrendered six hits, walked three and was charged with five runs during his four-inning stint.

The Braves scored two runs apiece in the second and third, then Scott Thorman hit a 1-2 pitch deep into the right-field stands in the fourth.